MagneBricks – Better Magnetic Building Blocks

5 Minutes for Mom contributor Geri Chase shares her thoughts about the MagneBricks Building Blocks Kickstart project. She was compensated for writing this post and sharing her honest opinion.
As a mom, I have seen my kids’ interests in toys change throughout the years. Sometimes they just outgrow things. Other times their choice of play items is based on whatever is trendy at the moment. No matter how old they get though, they never seem to get tired of building bricks or sciency-type things.

Both of my boys love to use blocks and building bricks to create vehicles, buildings and creatures. And give them a magnet? They will stay busy for at least an hour. I don’t know any kid that isn’t infatuated with the mysteries of magnetism.

Can you imagine what kinds of things a kid could build with magnetized building blocks? MagneBricks creator Richard Laboris can and he is hoping that you will catch his vision!

MagneBricks are magnetic building blocks that work a little bit like Legos, but have ten of the most powerful, rare magnets inside each one to help them stay locked together. The interlocking features on each brick make for really strong connections and also help kids know which faces will attract and lock together.

My son, who struggled when he was younger with fine motor skill development, would sometimes get so frustrated that he couldn’t get his hands and fingers to grasp and manipulate items to make them go together properly.

MagneBricks are just the ticket for kids with developmental delays relating to manual dexterity, as the magnetic properties ensure that the bricks will automatically pull together and lock when they are near each other!

What a great mixture of learning and science, right? While the kids are using the MagneBricks to build models of the Eiffel Tower or prototypes of the next water powered vehicle, you can help them learn about the rare earth magnets inside the blocks and how magnetization happens.

Then when the kids get tired of building on the floor? Let them create 3D art on the door of the refrigerator or the front of the washer or dryer (if you still have old school models like me).

I am actually envisioning a “sharing” issue in my house when the husband starts messing with the MagneBricks:

“Dad, can you please hand me some of those bricks?”
“Just a minute, son. I’m just checking them out.”
(Ten minutes later)
“Ummm, Dad? Can I please have some of those bricks now? I’m trying to finish my tank that I’m building.”
“Huh? Oh yeah, son. Give me just a minute. Check out what these things can do…Man, these magnets are strong! Look at this!”
“Yeah, Dad, I know. They’re cool. Can I have some of them now?”
“In a minute, son.”
“Mah-ahm! Dad won’t share the MagneBricks!”

Anyone else have that issue? I actually love that The Man gets as excited by new toys as the boys do and that he loves to get involved and build with them.

So are you running in place to get your hands on some of these fun, little magnetic bricks? Me too! While Magnebricks aren’t available yet in stores, you can be among the first to get a set if you have a philanthropic heart.

Richard, himself a father of two young boys, has started a Kickstarter campaign to help him raise $35,000 so he can get his product manufactured in mass and out into the marketplace.

Backers who pledge $12 or more will receive some MagneBricks as a thank you (size of set depends on amount of pledge) and be named as a Backer on the website. In addition to the thank you gift, you will receive something far more priceless: the knowledge that you helped someone realize his dream.

Geri Chase is mom to 2 hilarious boys and wife to an insanely funny husband, all of whom like to remind her that the fact that she is a girl does not give her immunity from their testosterone induced humor. While she pretends not to be amused, she secretly laughs herself silly over their antics and frequently blogs about life and family friendly products over at I Am Boymom.

About Geri Chase

Geri Chase is mom to 2 hilarious boys and wife to an insanely funny husband, all of whom like to remind her that the fact that she is a girl does not give her immunity from their testosterone induced humor. While she pretends not to be amused, she secretly laughs herself silly over their antics and frequently blogs about life and family friendly products over at I Am Boymom.